Any Habs Jersey's that should NOT have been retired?

[Yozzy]

I'm not too well versed in the history of the Montreal Canadiens, but I'm just wondering if any of the numbers shouldn't have been retired in retrospect.

Did the franchise just over do it, or does each player with a retired numbers truly deserve it?

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[le_sean]

Well I feel there are too many but that's just a personal opinion. All of the players up there were fantastic in their own right.

I just feel for a franchise with this much success, it should only be the legends that are retired, guys that transcended the sport.

 

[Kriss E]

All of them. We've had too many greats.

 

[A1]

I wish we just did the leafs thing, sucks that all those great numbers can't be used any more.

 

[Ezpz]

All except 4, 7 and 9 should be fair game. Maybe 10. The 70's dynasty certainly didn't need seven retired jerseys.

 

[TRG]

In before WhiskeySeven and Bob Gainey.

 

[Compile]

All except 4, 7 and 9 should be fair game. Maybe 10. The 70's dynasty certainly didn't need seven retired jerseys.

I'd say the only ones that should be retired are 4 and 9.
Its nice but these 2, especially Maurice helped shape the team IMHO.

Err I meant identity of the team.

 

[feds91]

we only retire Hall of Famers while other teams retire Ken Daneyko, Trevor Linden, Adam Graves, Thomas Steen.

 

[le_sean]

I'd say the only ones that should be retired are 4 and 9.
Its nice but these 2, especially Maurice helped shape the team IMHO.

Err I meant identity of the team.

I'd say you need to add Plante and Harvey because those two revolutionized the game at their respective positions. Morenz because he is considered the best player of the first half of the century.

 

[MXD]

If there's one too much, Bouchard.
If there's two, Cournoyer.
If there is three, Gainey.

 

[groovejuice]

All except 4, 7 and 9 should be fair game. Maybe 10. The 70's dynasty certainly didn't need seven retired jerseys.

Did you see them play? Do you understand their significance to the team and the game in general?

It's okay to have an opinion, but without direct experience or context, the value of the opinion is diminished.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Gainey basically invented the role of a defensive centre in the NHL and he was the best at it EVER. Not sure how his number isn't retired after his hall of fame career.

 

[Hoople]

All except 4, 7 and 9 should be fair game. Maybe 10. The 70's dynasty certainly didn't need seven retired jerseys.

I am going to guess that you are not old enough to remember those teams.

Its OK if you are that young though. It's understandable that you really havent seen greatness from the Habs over the last 20 years.

 

[kingdok]

Butch

 

[groovejuice]

Gainey basically invented the role of a defensive centre in the NHL and he was the best at it EVER. Not sure how his number isn't retired after his hall of fame career.

Ummm, his number is retired. Controversially, while he was GM.

He's also in the HOF.

 

[La Grosse Tendresse]

Bob Gainey.

 

[Born in 1909]

Tacky thread (no offense).

All are HOFer's.

All are multiple cup winners.

All are Hab legends in their eras.

Hell, put Toe Blake up there too.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

It's hard not to honour a HHOF player...

If he's great relative to the entire hockey world, how is he not great enough for montreal?

That being said, should've retired a few, honoured the rest.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Ummm, his number is retired. Controversially, while he was GM.

He's also in the HOF.

I meant to say how anyone can argue his number shouldn't be retired. I'm well aware it's already retired and should be.

 

[lou4gehrig]

Wow, all the guys who have had their numbers retired are legends who won many cups. They deserve it. There's plenty of other numbers people can select.

Let's just be glad we're not desperate like Toronto who retired Gilmour and Wendel Clark.

 

[groovejuice]

Bob Gainey.

5 Stanley Cups. 4 years out of the first 5 he won the Selke.The year he didn't, he won the Conn Smythe. Captain of the team.

Viktor Tikhonov called him the best player on the planet.

 

[lou4gehrig]

5 Stanley Cups. 4 years out of the first 5 he won the Selke.The year he didn't, he won the Conn Smythe. Captain of the team.

Viktor Tikhonov called him the best player on the planet.

And Hall of Famer with all games played for us.

Somebody like Gilmour (who does deserve to be in the hall) only played a short time in Toronto and for us. It's not like we're retiring his number.

I can't argue with a single retired number.

 

[groovejuice]

I meant to say how anyone can argue his number shouldn't be retired. I'm well aware it's already retired and should be.

After re-reading your post, I can see what you meant.

I agree that he should be. The most dominant defensive forward ever in the league, IMO.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Lafleur, M.Richard, Beliveau, Harvey, Morenz and Plante are the legendary players.

Then you have Robinson, Dryden, H.Richard, Geoffrion and Roy.(Arguably Robinson could be in the first tier,and Roy would if he played all his career in MTL).

Then Savard, Lapointe, Moore and Lach.

You then end up with Cournoyer, Bouchard and Gainey.

The last three are arguable, and they certainly shouldn't have had their number retired before players like Newsy Lalonde, George Vezina, Aurele Joliat or Toe Blake.These last four should all have their numbers retired.

 

[Dick Duff]

"Gainey basically invented the role of a defensive centre in the NHL and he was the best at it EVER. Not sure how his number isn't retired after his hall of fame career."

Gainet played left wing….

"Viktor Tikhonov called him the best player on the planet.”

No, he called him the best ‘two-way’ player in the game.

Sorry, I am old enough to remember.